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Biloxi fire chief outlines staffing gaps, station and vehicle needs
Summary
Biloxi Fire Chief Geyser told the council the department maintains a Class 2 rating, runs roughly 8,000–9,000 calls a year (about 65% medical), and recommended additional personnel, stations and use of smaller response vehicles for many medical calls to keep engines available for fires.
Chief Geyser briefed the Biloxi City Council on May 26 about staffing, ratings and capital equipment needs for the fire department. He said the department normally staffs a minimum of 46 personnel per shift, while the insurance‑rating bureau recommends closer to 60 to cover vacations, military leaves and other absences.
"We typically ... have a minimum staffing of 46 people," Chief Geyser said, adding that the department handled about 8,000–9,000 calls in a year, with roughly 65% of those categorized as medical. He described the department's Class 2 rating, and noted recommendations from the bureau including additional ladder trucks, another station in the Wool Market area, and more personnel to reach recommended overage levels.
Geyser described equipment and replacement costs in detail: engines reported at roughly $914,000 each, ladder trucks at about $2 million, and turnout gear costs of roughly $4,500 per firefighter. He proposed a strategy to deploy lower‑cost pickup or suburban response vehicles (roughly $60,000 each) staffed by paramedics for many medical calls so engines and ladder trucks remain available for fire suppression.
Council members responded with praise for departmental performance and asked about the number and placement of proposed smaller response vehicles. Chief Geyser and councilors discussed training throughput (two recruit classes per year), maintenance of stations and the department's role as a regional training provider.
No formal budget item was adopted at the briefing; council members indicated support and asked staff to return with capital and staffing options for future budget consideration.
